Dead city: survival instinct

Chapter/issue 8:

2 days after the hotel As mason is on a hill talking on the walkie to the man who saved his life mason: I guess I'm losing hope that you can hear me but there's always a chance, isn't there that slim chance it's all about slim chances now I tried to do everything keep people safe I tried,Carlos I tried our groups smaller now we lost another day before last it was her choice won't say I blame her she lost faith The CDC was a dead end I met a man there a scientist he told me something he told me... as he cuts off the walkie for a bit mason: it doesn't matter what matters is we're moving on Atlanta's done we're gonna try for fort benning we're facing a long hard journey maybe even harder than I can imagine but it can't be harder than our journey's been so far can it hundred twenty five miles that's what lies ahead and I'm trying hard not to lose faith I can't, if I do the others my family,my wife,my two sons there's just a few of us now so we've got to stick together fight for each other be willing to lay down our lives for each other if it comes to that it's the only chance we got be careful out there Carlos stay off the road keep moving keep your eyes open I don't know just.. just be safe maybe we'll see you in fort benning someday mason signing off. As mason walks off as they start to drive out of the city 5 miles in Laura: I was just thinking about our trip to the Grand Canyon with Caleb. Mason laughs Caleb: I don't remember that. Laura: no you wouldn't you were just a baby besides we never made it past Fort Worth. Mason: no you got sick I never knew a baby could throw up so much. As they're both chuckling Jonathan:ick
Laura: yeah,ick the doctor in Texas said you'd live then we turned around and drove home. Caleb: that sucks. Laura: no,it was a good trip.
Mason:the best. Jonathan: can we go see it the Grand Canyon I'd like to. Chloe: I would too can we go? Mason:we'd never go without you or your mom brother or father okay that's a promise. As Matthew is trying to put his gun back together after cleaning Ana: looks complicated. Matthew: the trick is getting all these pieces back together the same way I could clean yours and show you how. As she gives him her gun oh, yeah it's a sweet piece. Ana: it was a gift from my father he gave it to me just before Jessica and I took off on our road trip he said two girls on their own should be able to defend themselves. Matthew: smart man your father so,look, it's a limited capacity only holds seven rounds
Harold: oh, jeez. As he sees a whole bunch of cars blocking the RV from getting through as deacon on his bike rolls Harold: you see a way through. He points exactly back that way deacon drives off
Noah: uh... maybe we should just go back there's an interstate bypass. Harold: can't spare the fuel. Noah:jeez can we get through here. As the engine gives out and sputters Harold: I said it Didn't I say it a thousand times dead in the water. Matthew: problem Harold? Harold: just a small matter of being stuck in the middle of nowhere with no hope of okay, that was dumb. If you can't find a radiator hose here...
Deacon: there's a whole bunch of stuff we can find. Mike: I can siphon more fuel from these cars for a start. Shawn: maybe some water. Noah: or food.
Laura: this is a graveyard I don't know how I feel about this. Daniel: all right,here we go. Matthew: come on, y'all just look around gather what you can. As flies are buzzing around dead bodies in cars
Mary: kids don't look. As Jonathan,Chloe,Billy walk behind Mary Caleb is keeping watch by the RV as Noah and Harold are fixing up the rv as it's hissing Noah: which one ? Harold:flathead radiator hose clamp is always a flathead,here you do it learn something. As he hands him the rag and the flathead to fix it Mary: we're gonna need clothes. Laura: hey,Jonathan always within my sight okay? Mary: you too Chloe. Matthew: it's all good okay Noah were we short on water. As he opens a water delivery truck full of gallons of water he opens one of the containers and starts drinking the water as it's pouring all over him as Noah starts laughing with excitement Noah: hey, save me some! Matthew: it's like being baptized, man. As mason looks and sees one biter thinking if he just shoot just this one they'll be outta there in no time if more show up he puts his sniper up and glances at the biter as he sees more and more show up as he sees there's a whole bunch of them walking this way a horde of them walking mason: oh Christ. As Harold spots them as well he gets down to where they can't see them mason runs to warn the other to get under the cars or any big flat surface where they can't see you mason: Laura under the cars Johnathan,Chloe,Billy get down now. As mason gets to a nearby car gets under it Johnathan gets under one near Chloe and Billy gets under pane near his mom and Laura Richard sees the swarm gets under a car as well as Daniel his sister and Alan and Ben and Donna get under cars as well Noah: ow! What? As Matthew shoves Noah under a car with him making sure he wasn't spotted so does Shawn he gets under a car as Ana is in the RV still she quietly goes by the door and shuts it quietly and quickly and quickly goes in the bathroom and shuts the door as Mike gets behind a car looking to make sure it's clear a biter almost caught wind of him he gets down immediately but cuts open his arm on a sharp metal piece of a car door he quickly runs away from the area and gets behind another car as Mike is bleeding out and falls down as a buyer is walking towards him deacon walks up behind the biter and stabs it in the head from behind deacon: shhhhh. As deacon takes a dead biter and puts it on Mike to cover his scent he does the same thing as the biters start to clear out as Chloe is spotted by a biter and runs off into the woods masons sees and goes after her Mary: Laura those two biters are after my baby. As the biters are still chasing Chloe mason goes down into the woods and goes after her as Chloe falls down mason catches up to her mason: are you alright are you okay? Chloe: shoot them! Mason: No No! Those walkers on the road would hear it theme it wouldn't be just two there'd be hundreds. As he picks her up and runs off further in the woods as he jumps down mason: all right just hold here you stay there wait, alright come on Chloe, you have to do exactly as I say hide in there squeeze in tight I'll draw them away from you. Chloe: No,no don't leave me. Mason: listen listen listen they don't get winded I do I can only deal with one of them at a time I wouldn't be able to protect you this is how we both survive you understand? Okay go go go if I don't make it back run back to the highway back to the others straight the way we came keep the sun on your left shoulder. As the walkers approach mason he taunts them mason: come on! You ugly son of a bitch come on! As he leads them away from Chloe he leads them further into the woods he hides behind a tree waiting for them he has a rock in hand he takes and throws at the walker straight to the face as he beats the walker senseless he kills it he throws the rock again at another one the walker is stunned as he leaps over the walker he smashes the walkers head blood gets on him and his shirt he makes it back to the highway Chloe still didn't make it back so deacon and Matthew and Noah and Richard go with mason to try to look where mason last left her deacon: you sure this was the spot. Mason: look I left her right here I drew the walkers away off in that direction up the creek. Matthew: without a paddle seems where we've landed. Mason: she was gone by the time I got back here I figured she took off and ran back to the group I told her to go that way and keep the sun on her left shoulder. Deacon: hey short round, why don't you step off to one side you're mucking up the trail. Matthew: assuming she knows her left from her right. Mason: Matthew she understood me fine. Matthew: look kids tired and scared man you had a close call with two walkers got to wonder of how much you said stuck. Deacon: got clear prints right here she like you said and headed back to the highway let's spread out,make our way back. Matthew: let's go she couldn't have gotten far, hey we gonna find her. Mason: figure she'll be tuckered out hiding in a bush somewhere. Deacon: she was doing just fine till right here all she had to do was keep going she veered off that way. Noah: why would she do that. Matthew: maybe she saw something that spooked her,made her run off. Noah: A walker? Deacon: I don't see any other footprints just hers.
Matthew: so what do we do? All of us press on?
Mason: No,better you and Noah get back up to the highway people are gonna start panicking let them know we're on her trail, doing everything we can but most of all, keep everybody calm. Matthew: I'll keep 'em busy scavenging cars think up a few other chores I'll keep 'em occupied come on. As Noah and Matthew walk back to the highway as they're moving the cars out of the way to clear a path
Mary: why aren't we all out there looking why are we moving cars? Harold: we have to clear enough room so I can get the RV turned around as soon as it's running now that we have fuel we can double back to a bypass that Noah flagged on the map going back is going to be easier than trying to get through this mess. Mary: but we're not going anywhere till my daughter gets back. Laura: hey, that goes without saying. Matthew: look mason and deacon there on it okay just a matter of time. Ana: can't be soon enough for me I'm still freaked out from that herd that passed us by or whatever you'd call it. Noah: yea what was that all of them marching along like that. Shawn: A herd that sounds about right we've seen it it's like the night the camp got attacked just some wandering pack, only fewer. Matthew: okay come on people we still got a lot to do let's stay on it let's go come on. We cut back to deacon and mason in the woods Mason: tracks are gone. Deacon: they're faint but they ain't gone she came through here. Mason: how can you tell I don't see anything but dirt,grass. Deacon: you want a lesson in tracking or you want to find that girl and get our asses off that interstate? We cut to Johnathan looking around he sees something in a truck a pointy object looks like a axe he goes on the other side of the truck and tries to get it but it's stuck as he gets up more and shoved out he falls down with an arsenal of weapons as he takes it to Matthew Johnathan: Matthew! Laura: John,what happened? Johnathan: mom I found something cool Matthew check it out, it's an arsenal. Matthew: that's cool bud go give 'em to Harold. Johnathan: check this one out whoa! It's a hatchet. Laura: be careful don't play with those. Johnathan: it's really sharp. Laura: what did I just say? Johnathan: can I keep one? Laura: are you crazy ? Johnathan: No way Matthew, tell her let me keep one. Matthew: hey, man go give 'em all to Harold now go! As he looks at Matthew in despair as he walks off to give them to Harold Laura: what was that? Matthew: what was what? Laura: the way you just blew him off just now you crushed him. As he ignores her
Laura: I don't believe you you're giving me the cold shoulder ? Matthew: isn't that what you want weren't you the one who said stay the hell away him and you? Laura: you forget what happened at the CDC your little meltdown in the Rec room slip your mind when you tried... Matthew: when I tried to what, mhm what do you think that was ? Laura: I think it's pretty plain what that was. Matthew: A mistake one that I admit to I have a few mistakes Under my belt Laura, so do you.
Laura: No debate there but, Matt we need to stop this. Matthew: why do you think I'm prepping my new ride, I'm leaving. Laura: leaving? Matthew: gone for good gonna quietly slip away first chance I get. As the engine starts on his new vehicle the radio starts playing on the local broadcast network the man on the radio: the emergency alert system has been activated the office of civil defense has issued the following message normal broadcasting will cease immediately this is a civil emergency. Noah: is that a local signal. Harold: it's got to be within 50 miles of here. Man on radio: avoid any infected at all costs remain calm help is on the way the emergency alert system has been activated the office of civil defense. Matthew turns off the radio Matthew: asshole,okay let's get back to work. As we cut to mason and deacon still out in the woods they come across a walker who could've been near Chloe so mason runs up and distracts it while deacon shoots it with his crossbow as he shoots it deacon pulls his arrow out of the walker deacon: Chloe! What are you looking for ? Mason: there's skin under the fingernails it fed recently there's flesh caught in its teeth. Deacon: yeah,what kind of flesh?
Mason: only way to know for sure. He takes out his knife too small to gut deacon: here I'll do it how many kills you skin and gut in your life? anyway,mines sharper. As he jams his knife into the belly of the walker gutting it as flesh ripping and tearing Deacon: now comes the bad part. As he goes deeper in his stomach Deacon: yeah, hoss had a big meal not to long ago I feel it in there okay here's the gut bag. Mason: I got this. As he starts to tear into the gut bag with his knife he looks as something gross he picks up Deacon: this gross bastard had himself a woodchuck for lunch. Mason: at least we know. Deacon: at least we know. We cut back to the highway Mary: it's late, gonna be dark soon. Anna: they'll find her. Matthew: that's what the rest of you need is the proper training of these guns so Harold doesn't just babysit em all day. As Harold chuckles Noah: oh god they're back. Mary: you didn't find her. Mason: her trail went cold well pick it up again first light. Mary: you can't leave my daughter out there in her own to spend the night alone in the woods. Deacon: out in the darks no good well just be tripping over ourselves more people get lost. Mary: but she's 12,she can't be out there on her own you didn't find anything? Mason: I know this is hard I'm asking you not to panic we know she was out there. Deacon: and we tracked her for awhile. Mason: we have to make this an organized effort deacon k owns the woods better than anybody I've asked him to oversee this. Mary: is that blood? Mason: we took down a walker. Mary: walker oh, my god. Mason: there was no sign it was ever near Chloe. Anna: how can you know that? Deacon: we cut the sum bitch open made sure. Mary: oh god how could you just leave her out there to begin with how could you just leave her? Mason: those two walkers were on us I had to draw them off it was her best chance. Shawn: sounds like he didn't have a choice Mary. Mary: how was she supposed to find her way back on her own she's just a child she's just a child. Mason: it was my only option the only choice I could make. Matthew: i'm sure nobody doubts that. Mary: my little girl got left in the woods. As everyone gathers around for her comfort Richard is in sorrow he's broken mason just needs to breathe for a minute so he takes a walk
The next day
Shawn: everybody takes a weapon
Jake: these aren't the kind of weapons we need what about the guns. Shawn: we've been over that deacon,mason and I are carrying we can't people popping off rounds every time a tree rustles. Jake: it's not the trees I'm worried about. Shawn: say somebody fires at the wrong moment a herd happens to be passing by then it's game over for all of us so you need to get over it. Deacon: the idea is to take the creek up about five miles, turn around and come back down the other side chances are she'll be be by the creek it's her only landmark. Mason: stay quiet stay sharp keep space between you but always stay within sight of each other. Matthew: everybody assemble your packs. Mason: Harold keep on those repairs we've got to get this RV ready to move. Harold: we won't stay here a minute longer than we have to good luck out there bring Chloe back. Mason: keep an eye on Johnathan while we're gone. Johnathan: I'm going with you,you need people right to cover as much ground as possible. Laura: your call I can't always be the bad guy. Harold: we'll he has all of you to look after him I'd say he's in good hands. Mason: okay,okay but always within our sight, no exceptions. As they take off to go up the creek to look for Chloe along with mason,Matthew,Shawn,Laura,Johnathan,Caleb
Deacon,Noah,Chris,Jake,Daniel,Jason,Richard,Mary,Alan,Donna,Ben. While Harold,mike and Jimmy and Richard and Mary's son Billy stay back on the highway the rest go look Johnathan: Matthew,look dad said I could carry it and mom said as long as I was... Matthew: keep it down we're looking for Chloe you need to focus on the task. Laura: got to keep up. Johnathan: I am. Laura: you okay? Johnathan: think Matthew's mad at me did I do something wrong? Laura: No No honey I promise you he's just worried about Chloe that's all come on. As they come across a tent Matthew: she could be in there. Deacon: could be a whole bunch of things in there. Mason: Mary call out softly if she's in there, yours is the first voice she should hear. Mary: Chloe sweetie are you in there? Chloe it's mommy Chloe we're all here baby it's mommy. As deacon goes up to the tent and opens a horrible and vile smell comes out as everybody smells and starts to cough and gag as deacon looks through he sees a dead man committed suicide with gun still in hand as he is covered in maggots and fungus he grabs the gun Deacon: it ain't her. Mason: what's in there? Deacon: some guy did what Cleveland said opted out ain't that what he called it? As church bells from a distance start ringing Matthew: what direction ? Mason: I think that way I'm pretty sure. Matthew: damn it's hard to tell out here. Mason: if we heard them, then maybe Chloe does,too. Noah: someone's ringing those bells,maybe calling others or signaling that they found her. Mason: she could be ringing them herself come on.
Back on the highway Mike: ain't you supposed to be fixing that radiator what if they come back with Chloe and mason wants to move on right away? Harold: I had it fixed yesterday. Mike: what? What was all that rubbing and sanding for then that just bullshit? Harold: yea that's one word another word would be pantomime just for show no one else needs to know that. Mike: pantomime. Harold: if the others were mobile,they'll want to mobilize and move on. Mike: so you don't think they're gonna find Chloe,that it? Harold: just guarding against the worst sooner or later, if she's not found,people will start doing math I want to hold off the needs of many versus the needs of few arguments as long as I can. Mike: that is one tricky hose,huh? Harold: very. We cut back to them making it to the Churchill Shawn: that can't be it got no steeple,no bells mason. As they start to run to the church as they approach the front door they open it 8 walkers are sitting as mason gets a machete along with Matthew and deacon and Daniel grabs his hammer as they kill the walkers
Mason: Chloe! Deacon: yo J.C. You taking request? Matthew: I'm telling you, it's the wrong church it's got no steeple,mason there's no steeple. As the bell goes off again they go around the church alarms as Noah shuts it off
Deacon: A timer it's on a timer.
Mary:I'm gonna go back in for a bit. As she goes back in confessing her feelings and sins to the man above they all set out to leave but Johnathan stays with mason and Matthew and Caleb sets off with his mom and the gang so they search separately
As mason goes inside to find answers
Mason: I don't know if you're looking at me with,what ? Sadness,scorn,pity,love maybe it's just indifference I guess you already know I'm not much of a believer I guess I just chose to put my faith elsewhere my family,mostly my friends my job, the thing is, we I could use a little something to help keep us going some kind of acknowledgement some indication I'm doing the right thing you don't know how hard that is to know well,maybe you do hey,look i don't need all the answers okay just a little nudge a sign, Any sign will do. Matthew: you get what you needed? Mason: guess I'll find out come on.
We cut to Deacon leading the others through the woods hoping for an alternative
Jessica: so this is it this the whole plan I guess the plan is to whittle us down into smaller and smaller groups carrying knives and pointy sticks I see you have a gun. Laura: why, you want it? Here,take it I'm sick of the looks you're giving me all of you. As she turns to Mary
Laura: honey,I can't imagine what you're going through and I would do anything to stop it but you have to got to stop blaming mason it is in your face every time you look at him when Chloe ran he didn't hesitate did he not for a second I don't know that any of us would have gone after her the way he did or made the hard decisions he had to make or that anybody could have done it any differently anybody? Y'all look to him and then you blame him when he's not perfect if you think you can do this without him, go right ahead nobody is stopping you.
Jessica: we should keep moving
We cut to mason and Matthew and Johnathan looking through the forest as Johnathan spots a deer a smile grows on his face as to how beautiful it was
Johnathan: Matthew look!
As Matthew raises his gun as mason puts it down admiring on what his son thinks is beautiful as they both look at him smiling a shot goes
Hitting Johnathan through the deer
Mason: No.No.No.Nooo!!! Johnathan can you hear me wake up son wake up!
CONTINUED